The passenger compartments of automobiles and trucks may retain unpleasant odors introduced into such compartment by drivers, passengers or cargo. Examples of unpleasant odors include cigarette and cigar smoke, food odors, body odors, retained cargo odors and gas or exhaust fumes. Various air freshener devices have been designed for use in vehicle passenger compartments, including devices that suspend from a rear view mirror or from a sun visor.
Effective continuous action air fresheners release a sufficient amount of fragrance such that for a given enclosed space, such as a room or a motor vehicle passenger compartment, the fragrance is readily perceptible when someone enters that space. In addition effective air fresheners deliver fragrance for an acceptable period of time, such as 30 to 60 days. Moreover, such air fresheners should maintain fragrance character over this time period, such that the odor impression of the fragrance when the air freshener is activated as compared to the fragrance character at the end of the functional life is relatively the same.
Air freshening clips that join to the fins of automotive or household venting systems are shown in the prior art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,407,642; 5,527,493; 5,865,372; 6,264,887; and 7,687,038. Other representative hanging or suspending air freshener devices include charms or novelty devices hung by string or stretchable elastic yarns, or air freshening devices suspended by hooks. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,182,270 and 5,468,447. Scent emitting clothes hangers are also known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,038.
Consumers may prefer portable air freshener devices that may be installed quickly and removed quickly from living spaces and motor vehicle passenger compartments. Devices that may be moved from one location to another location easily also are preferred. Consumers further may prefer air freshener devices with outer configurations that more discretely fit within a living space or motor vehicle passenger compartment.
Improvements to air freshener devices for use in conjunction with small spaces, such as motor vehicle passenger compartments, closets and storage areas, continue to be sought.